Korra unleashed a wave of fire at the brothers, pushing them backwards as she began to charge another fireball. Bolin blocked it by pulling up a rock wall, and then punched his fist into the ground, sending blocks of earth flying towards Korra and Mako. Mako jumped upwards, flipping around as he unleashed a series of fireballs, simultaneously deflecting Korra's attacks and avoiding Bolin's entirely. Bolin was soon knocked out of the training arena, and grabbed a bottle of water as he sat down on a bench, carefully observing his fellow fire ferrets spar. Korra threw some earth coins at Mako, dodging and weaving his fire blasts with techniques akin to those Tenzin were teaching her, and Mako mimicked her moves, both benders avoiding all attacks the other had for them. Korra pulled a mass of water from the buckets on the sideline, and shot it at Mako, too quickly for him to avoid. He was sent flying, slowing his fall with firebending. Korra walked up to him, and pulled on his hand, helping Mako up. "That was a great battle!" "Thanks Korra! I'm just using the moves you taught me! Airbending has so much in common with the agility that a pro-bender needs!" Korra blushed at his compliment. A loud sigh of annoyance was uttered from the other side of the room. "Gosh guys. I'm so sick of you two flirting. The sexual tension between you too is so thick; I couldn't break it with an earth coin. Just go on a date already!"

Mako flushed a deep red and ran out of the room. Korra looked over at Bolin and glared. "What? All he talks about is you! About how you are the 'most impressive bender he's ever met', how 'every time he's around you he gets all warm inside', it's such sickening lovey-dovey mush! I just want you two to date so he'll stop telling me about how much he likes you!" Bolin's words hit home with Korra. She felt a burning heat when she was around Mako, and she could never stop thinking about him. Her train of thought always led to Mako, she dreamt of him, she imagined them dating. She told Jinora all about her crush on the 'dreamy firebender who makes her go crazy', but she didn't think the attraction was mutual. It couldn't be, Mako only thought of her as a friend, or so she had thought. Korra ran out of the room, running in the direction she had seen Mako head.

She turned a corner and bumped into the scarf-clad firebender. Mako began speaking immediately. "He was lying! I don't like you! He's just joking!" his last statement was followed by a flourish of flames behind him as he balled his fists in anger at Bolin for revealing his attraction Korra grabbed the ends of his scarf, and pulled him close. "Just kiss me you idiot!" She pressed her lips against his, and pushed him backwards into the wall. Their lips separated, and Mako gasped. Korra grabbed Mako's wrists, holding him still, her hot breath mixing with his in the cool night's air. "I have been waiting for you to just grow a pair and ask me out. But apparently, I have to do everything myself! Mako, will you go out with me tomorrow night, after our next match?" Mako nodded as a grin crept across his face. Korra released his arms, then opened the windowpane. She raised her arms and levitated a bubble of water up to the level of the third story window. She jumped in, leaving a surprised-looking Mako behind, staring out the window and waving.

Korra crossed the sea quickly, reaching Air Temple Island in a matter of minutes. She stepped onto the pier, and bent the water back into the sea, stripping herself of the salty rivulets. A sound made her turn her attention towards Tenzin, who was walking towards her from the temple. "Took you long enough Korra. Get to bed. We have training in the morning. You have yet to create a simple breeze, how will you master the element of air without disciplining yourself, without keeping calm and relaxed! I may have agreed to you joining that Pro-bending team, but you must go to sleep earlier." Korra grinned cheerily, still somewhat elated from recent events. "Okay Sifu Tenzin! I have to go to the city in the afternoon though." "Okay. But I want you up bright and early." Korra ran off to her room, falling asleep in a matter of minutes.

A blast of air woke Korra up the next morning. She sat up grumpily, and faced Ikkie, who was running around her room, giggling excitedly. "Get up get up! It's time for airbending practice!" Korra groaned, and then sat up. She walked over to the small closet in the corner of her room, and dressed herself in the traditional orange-and-yellow clothes of the air nomads. She opened her window, and jumped out, in the hopes that she would be able to pull off some airbending as the wind whipped past her. Much to her chagrin, Korra couldn't muster the smallest amount of airbending, so she used earthbending to cushion her fall, sinking slightly into the stone as she hit the ground. She landed near Tenzin and his children, and was immediately scolded. "Stop doing that! You aren't going to just airbend if you experience high wind! Firebending isn't taught by lighting the bender on fire, now is it? Self immolation and jumping from high buildings have nothing to do with bending!" Korra apologized to Tenzin, and the group made their way to the spinning gates. Korra had successfully made her way through the gates without touching them, but she still practiced with the three young airbenders every morning. Sometimes all four moved through the gates at once, part of the challenge being the need to avoid crossing paths with one of the children, in an attempt to hone the accuracy of Korra's spiraling movements. After around two hours of continuous training, Tenzin let Korra go, and she thanked him before putting her airbending uniform away and racing to the edge of the sea, jumping in and swimming through the water with incredible speed.

She entered the building by propelling herself with a spout of water, and bent all of the water off of her in a quick movement. She walked over to the changing room, and stepped inside. Bolin was putting on his suit, but Mako was nowhere to be seen. Bolin looked up at and grinned. "What's up Korra? How was last night?" "Shut up Bolin. Where is Mako? He better not bail on this, or our date." Korra began to dress in the reddish armor of her team as she looked over at Bolin, expecting a response. "He's somewhere. Don't worry." The door pushed open quickly, and Mako stepped into view. He nodded at Bolin, and then looked at Korra, reaching out his hand to pull her into a kiss. A cough from Bolin pulled the couple apart, and the Team stood on the starting platform. A short series of quick, expertly played matches occurred; due in part to the trio's extensive training, and the team emerged from the arena, sweaty and panting, but nonetheless victorious. The team did a quick 3-way high five, and in a moment of unthinking action, Mako kissed Korra, tongue-on-tongue, a battle for dominance. When they separated their lips, Mako remembered that they were still in the middle of the pro-bending arena, and Korra and Mako ran off the stage. Bolin followed slowly, as he didn't want to interrupt the two. Mako leaned his forehead onto Korra's, then grabbed her arm and ran, out of the changing room and into the hall, laughing along with Korra, giddy of their victory.

"Where are we going Mako?" Korra asked as she wrenched her arm free of her boyfriend's grasp. "On our date! You said we would go after our match, and I planned a bunch of stuff! Your skull must be thicker than a lion turtles' shell." Korra punched Mako on the shoulder, eliciting a smirk that he countered with a laugh. She followed behind Mako as they walked down a street. Mako guided Korra up a stairway that flanked a building, and they arrived on a candle-lit rooftop. A table stood in the center of the roof, and held a small vase with a single rose. Mako attempted to pull out Korra's chair, but she swatted his hand away and sat down. "This is really sweet Mako." Mako blushed at the compliment."So when did you realize that you liked me?" Mako heated the plates in front of Korra and himself by firebending their undersides, and while Korra began to eat her grilled lobster-eel, Mako began to answer her. "Well, when I first saw you, all I saw was that Bolin was looking at you with his goo-goo eyes, so I didn't even pay attention. But then, when you volunteered for our team, and were so aggressive in the match, I realized that you were more than some dopey fan girl." Korra swallowed in surprise. "Wait, you thought I was some fan girl even though you found out I was the avatar?" "Yes. Your avatar title has nothing to do with your personality." Korra blushed. "Thanks. That is just about the nicest thing anyone has ever said. People assume that, because I'm the avatar, I have to be spiritual and profound. Thinking I'm a ditzy moron is honestly so non-prejudiced. So before you have to ask," Korra paused, bending a bubble of water into her mouth, "I first realized that I was into you when you beat that pro bending team three-on-one. Such a cool and collected person was bound to catch my interest." Mako leaned over and kissed Korra, a smile plastered on his face. "This night has been perfect!" They left the roof when they finished dinner, and Mako shared one last kiss before Korra departed for her home, smiling the whole way.